ACTS 1

Our titles for today’s study are; Verses 1-5 The continuing ministry of Christ. Verses 6-7 The Ascension. Verse 8 The church gets power. Verses 9-11 The Ascension and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Verses 12-14 The upper room. Verses 15-26 The selection of Matthias. We begin a new book today, the great book of Acts. Think of it as the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 1 and verse 1 reads.

Acts 1:1] The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Check out this word Treatise, it is Logos in the Greek (G3056). We know this word as Jesus Christ. But in this case, it should have been translated The sayings of God. And Theophilus should have been translated Friend of God. Instead of being transliterated. Luke being the writer of Acts, is saying; My friends, as I have said before and am about to write, this is the Word of God.

Acts 1:2] Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
[3] To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

For forty days we ate and drank with him while he directed us and gave us his commandments. John also wrote of these things in the last two verses of John 21 and verse 24 reads.

John 21:24] This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
[25] And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Back to Acts 1 and verse 4 reads.

Acts 1:4] And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

This is written in Luke 24 and verse 49 reads.

Luke 24:49] And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

This would be the receiving of the Holy Spirit from on high. This pertains to the cloven tongue that would speak through them. Stay with me, and I’ll explain it better in a minute. Back to Acts and verse 5 reads.

Acts 1:5] For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

To show that the Holy Spirit was not given to them at Pentecost, but that those around them in the next chapter would hear the Holy Spirit speak through them, let’s go back to John 20 when Jesus showed himself after his resurrection, and verse 19 reads.

John 20:19] Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
[20] And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
[21] Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
[22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

They had already received the Holy Spirit within themselves. But for an example to God’s Elect in the end times, the people will hear in their own languages the Holy Spirit speak to them at the Feast of Weeks or what we now call Pentecost. Let’s go 1Corinthians 10 and verse 11 reads.

1Cor.10:11] Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Now let’s go to Joel 2 and verse 28 reads.

Joel 2:28] And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
[29] And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
[30] And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
[31] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

We see here that it was given for the Holy Spirit to speak not only on Pentecost, but as an example for us in these end times. Now let’s go to Mark 13 and verse 9 reads.

Mark 13:9] But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
[10] And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
[11] But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

This Holy Spirit will also speak through God’s Elect when they are delivered up to Satan at the sixth trump. Our destinies. Back to Acts 1 and verse 6 reads.

Acts 1:6] When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

They are thinking it is the second advent, but are forgetting the first. Let’s go to Amos 9 and verse 11 reads.

Amos 9:11] In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

Jesus will set them straight. Acts 1 and verse 7 reads.

Acts 1:7] And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

Notice times and seasons, at that moment it was not the second advent, but the first advent. They should have known this. Let’s go to Daniel 12 and verse 8 reads.

Dan.12:8] And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
[9] And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
[10] Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

Sealed until the fifth trump, when God will open the eyes of his Elect. Let’s go back to Mark 13 and verse 32 reads.

Mark 13:32] But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
[33] Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
[34] For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
[35] Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
[36] Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
[37] And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Watchmen watch, do not sleep, but watch. Jesus will bring them back to what he is talking about, the Holy Spirit. Back to Acts 1 and verse 8 reads.

Acts 1:8] But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

You will be witnesses for me to both the house of Israel and the house of Judah, then to all the world. Jesus says now, go and teach them. This also pertains to you, God’s Elect. Those were the last words Jesus spoke while with them on the earth.

Acts 1:9] And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Jesus now ascends back to heaven. Notice that Jesus is taken up, out of sight of the apostles and received in the clouds. I am convinced this is where the vehicle was, in the clouds, and hidden from them. We can see the description of these vehicles in Ezekiel chapters 1-3. These vehicles travel between the two dimensions, between heaven and earth.

Acts 1:10] And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Always with two witnesses, these would with no doubt be the two that stand by the throne of God. Let’s go to Luke 24, when they didn’t find Jesus in the tomb, and verse 3 reads.

Luke 24:3] And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
[4] And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
[5] And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

Could these be the same angels? Back to Acts 1 and verse 11 reads.

Acts 1:11] Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

The second advent, when Jesus returns, He will come down right here at the Mount of Olives. Zec.9:10. Let’s go to Luke 21 and verse 27 reads.

Luke 21:27] And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
[28] And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Notice the clouds again. Let’s go to Revelation 1 and verse 7 reads.

Rev.1:7] Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
[8] I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Again, the clouds. Back to Acts 1 and verse 12 reads.

Acts 1:12] Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.

One can only travel three quarters of a mile on the sabbath.

Acts 1:13] And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

Judas and James are both Jesus’s half-brothers, they are not of the Eleven, but are disciples.

Acts 1:14] These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
[15] And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

The eleven Apostles and the families of Jesus make up the hundred and twenty which are the first church. It will grow quickly.

Acts 1:16] Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

You probably wondered why I in the past have stuck up for Judas. This is why, Judas fulfilled prophesy written by king David. Judas brings in the promise from God. Let’s go to Psalms 41and verse 9 reads.

Psa.41:9] Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
[10] But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.
[11] By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.

Back to Acts and verse 17 reads.

Acts 1:17] For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
[18] Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

This is how Judas died. It is said that he committed suicide, no he was cut from his Adams apple to below his naval and his guts fell out on the ground. I would say he had a lot of help. Remember who he was dealing with? It was the Kenites, they could not afford to have him around to be a witness against them.

Acts 1:19] And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

Everyone knows in Judea that Judas bought the field that the poor can be buried in. The bigger picture I want you to know is, it is called the Potters field. Where all the broken vessels are tossed. Meaning to all the broken people, Jesus can put you back together again.

Acts 1:20] For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

Let’s go to Psalms 69 and verse 32 reads.

Psa.69:32] The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
[33] For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

Let’s go to Psalms 109 and verse 8 reads.

Psa.109:8] Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

And Zechariah 11 and verse 10 reads.

Zec.11:10] And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it assunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.
[11] And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.
[12] And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
[13] And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

So, by fulfilling the Word of the LORD, Judas helped give the poor in spirit Salvation also. Judas kept the money bag for Jesus and the disciples. Back to Acts 1 and verse 21 reads.

Acts 1:21] Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
[22] Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

This means that the next Apostle must have witnessed everything from his baptism to when he ascended from them after the forty days.

Acts 1:23] And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

Justus is a Latin name, and means; Just. And Barsabas means; son of Sabas (Tsabas) and is Chaldean, we know he is one of the tribes of Israel. Remember many languages were spoken in Judea at this time.

Acts 1:24] And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
[25] That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
[26] And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Matthias was chosen by lot and they have twelve again, twelve in biblical numeric means; Government fulfilment. Let’s go to his throne.

Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.

KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible